Structure of Aqueous Lithium Tetraborate Solution

The structure of aqueous lithium tetraborate solutions was investigated by species distribution calculation and synchrotron X-ray scattering. It shows that the dominant species in supersaturated solution at 298.15 K is B₄O₅(OH) ₄ ^2? and the minor species are B₃O₃(OH) ₅ ^2? , B₃O₃(OH) ₄ ^? and B(OH)₃. The ‘intramolecular’ structural parameters of B₄O₅(OH) ₄ ^2? , such as bond length and coordination number, were gives out using density function theory calculation. X-ray scattering study shows that the distance Li–O(H₂O)_I of Li(H₂O)₄]⁺ is about 0.1983 nm with the coordination number(CN) 4 in tetrahedral configuration. The B–O(H₂O) distance in hydrated anion B₄O₅(OH)₄(OH₂) ₈ ^2? is 0.3662 nm with the CN 12. The Li⁺–B distance is about 0.3364 nm with a coordination number ~1.0. The temperature effect on solution structure was also discussed.